There are a number of problems some are psychogeographic and have to do with environmental pressures.This is the same phenomenon that happens from the north when resources are low and populations are too high for the territories they push out. In terms of culture a few religious reformations could be handy for the believers and nonbelievers.

Some of this can be corrected by building silicon factories. These factories could produce piping machinery.Laminated silicons, and silicon fabrics could be produced. The laminated silicons producing strengths much greater than the material itself. Also you could use a material strategy that would lay the silicons in a mad mesh like jadeite which would also inherently improve the strength of the material.

These pipes laminates solar cells from the environment could be used for salt water desalination, and possibly building instead of concrete. With the proper water structure you could have abundant air ponic or hydroponic resources making the middle east the breadbasket that it used to be before the vast desertification.